Photographer Howard Schatz had an idea: place actors in a series of roles and dramatic situations to reveal the essence of their characters. Such was the premise behind his book, In Character: Actors Acting, which captures some of Hollywood’s most emotive stars in the act of, well, making faces. Luckily for us, he continued the tradition for Vanity Fair. Here are some of the best.

“The Qassam rocket is a simple steel artillery rocket developed and deployed by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas. Three models have been produced and used between 2001 and 2011”. – Wikipedia

Photo: A rocket, similar to the Al-Qassam rockets used against Israeli is prepared for launch as new members of the Islamic Jihad fighters show their skills as they attend a military show in the former Israeli jewish settlement of Atsmona September 26, 2008 in Rafah, southern of Gaza Strip. (Photo by Abid Katib/Getty Images)

A ghost glass frog in the Chocó rainforest, Ecuador in November 2020. The marbled swirling “hypnotising” eyes are thought to be helpful in attracting a mate. (Photo by David Weiller/WENN)

The stunning coastline of South Wales in UK on July 12, 2025 was once again turned into a wild and wonderful natural playground as Love Trails Festival powered by Garmin welcomed around 5,000 people to the Gower Peninsula for a long weekend of music, trail running, adventure, movement and community. (Photo by Giulia Spadafora)

Tatiana Osorio, of Orlando, cries while giving blood at the OneBlood blood center near the mass shooting at a nightclub, June 13, 2016, in Orlando, Fla. Osorio lost three friends in the shooting. (Photo by David Goldman/AP Photo)

A former paratrooper demonstrates his strength and skills while lifting a chair during the celebrations for the Paratroopers Day at the Central park in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, August 2, 2015. Paratroopers are an elite unit of the Soviet Army, and everyone in the country recognize their blue berets. (Photo by Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)

A close up of a caracal lynx's face looking into a camera on January 2014 in Western Cape, South Africa. (Photo by Dale Morris/Barcroft Media)

American actress Liza Koshy lies on the red carpet at the 96th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 10, 2024. (Photo by Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters)